Riveted construction



Patented May 1, 1945 OFFICE RIVETED CONSTRUCTION John A. Larkin, New York, N. Y.

Application June 9, 1943, Serial No. 490,144

Claims.

This invention relates to a fabrication of parts constituting structural steel elements which may be used advantageously in building construction or framework.

The invention contemplates the integrating of various parts, components or pieces to produce an integer or structural integrality which will be of increased strength. Among others, it is contemplated to produce main columns in accordance with the invention. Such main col-y umns because of the increased strength and structural characteristics, enable the ,erection of buildings to a greater height than heretofore possible with adequate safety factors being provided With regard to wind stresses, gravity load and legal requirements.

The invention also resides in the means by which the components or pieces are joined, united or secured.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages 'will appear when the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying'drawing, in -which- Fig. 1 is sectional perspective of a portion of a column built up in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the column shown in Fig. 1,- showing fasteners or rivets completely formed and the material for another prior to its formation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a rolled column reinforced in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 4 is a modification of the reinforcement of a rolled column, a portion of which is shown.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section showing a further modification.

Fig. 6 is a view of a rivet blank.

Fig. 7 is a section showing the riveting of two relatively thin plates.

Heretofore it has been the standard practice in connecting, fastening or securing plates and the like to drill holes of equal diameter from end to end and insert therein a red hot rivet blank whose projecting end is pressed, hammered or swaged into a button or other head or countersunk formation. The aforesaid method wherein button or other heads are formed, fractures the bre of the metal immediately under the heads so formed and so rendering the rivet of no denite value. i

In accordance with the present invention, the capacity of the rivet grip is increased by gradually increasing the diameter or width of drilled and reamed rivet holes in opposite directions beginning at the intermediate contact point of the components to be connected to each other. These rivet holes are in fact machine finished. Such increasefrom the intermediate point may be in the range of plus 5% to 10% greater diameter at'the outer surface than the diameter at the intermediate contact point of each component. In this manner the rivet or fastener conforming to the rivet holes provides two resistance portions in the entire length thereof, and thereby eliminates the aforesaid fracturing of the molecular structure and so utilizes'the rivet; or fastener at maximum tension capacity. It follows therefore that it is possible to integratevarious parts so that the integer will be of increasedst-rength for the intended purposes. i It is to be understood thatthe taper of ythe rivets as shown in the several views of the drawing is shown in an exaggerated manner.

`As shownpin Figs. 1 and 2, by way of example, a builteup'lmain column'is provided. Use is made of a web plate I0, separate connecting angles II, and separate flange plates I2. 'Ihese components are fabricated or integrated as follows. The plate III is secured to the angles I I by rivets I3. A single ange plate I2 is secured to two of the angles II byrivets I4 and two plates I2 are secured to the remaining two angles I2 by rivets I5.

In cases where an uneven number of members or components are secured to each other, the increased` diameter or Width of both the holes and the rivet blank Will start from the inner surface of one of the outer members and will gradually increase toward the outer surface of said member. Thus in Figs. l and 2, for each rivet blank there is one conical hole in one related angle II to receive one conical portion of the rivet and the holes in the plate I0 and the other angle II are of graduallyincreas'ing diameter to receive the other conical portion of the rivet I3. It will therefore be seen one conical portion is longer than the other. In other words, the conical portions are in continuation of each other and flare outwardly from an intermediate point which is coincidental with the contacting faces of platel IU and an angle I I. Each rivet blank consists of a piece of malleable metal in the form of a pin which may be of uniform diameter as shown in Fig. 2 and designated I6 or have one preformed conical portion as shown in Fig. 6 in which said conical portion is designated I'I. The rivet blank is made red hot and one end is bucked up while the other end is pressed, hammered or swaged to form one or two -conical portions as the case may be. In vthis manner the plate I0 and angles III areriveted to each other and each of two of the angles II are likewise riveted to two of the plates I2.

-In cases where an even number of members or components are secured to each other the conical portions of the,rivet are equal and the holes conform thereto. Thus the rivets I4 have equal conical portions.

In the reinforced construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein a rolled I column I3 is reinforced by'v plates 19, there are two plates I9 securedto the flanges at one side of the column and three plates I9 secured to the other flanges thereof. Since the two plates and a flange con'i sist of three members, the rivets 20 each havev conical portions of unequal length, whereas the rivets 2i which connect four members', namely, three plates and a flange, have conical portions of equallength. Reinforcing the rolled column gives added strength thereto over that of the largest columns hitherto rolled by steel plants. Hence, the built-upcolumnjs, as well asthe reinforced colun'lns, make it possible to erect buildings to a greater height than heretofore with adequate safety factors regarding wind stresses, gravity load and legal requirements being antici- Dated.

In Fig. 4 a reinforcement involving -`the use of four plates I9 in. connection with the flanges of a rolled column is shown. Hence, the rivets 22'are like the rivets 2I whose conical portions are of unequalY length. Inthis case three of the plates are held by the longer conical portion while the shorter conical portion joins the remaining plateto the flange of the column.

In Fig. 5, as in-,other case `where three members are used, the longer conical portion of the rivet 23 connects twoof the members against separating movement. away fromv the ythird* member, which latter receives the shorter conical member.

v'In Fig. 7 relatively thin plates 2li are riveted to each other. In thev case `of thin plates where only shallow holes :are {lo'ossibld a rivetA 215 is swag'ed to provide conical portions in conjunction withblocks 2E as well asthe plates. The

holes in `each block 26 and the contiguous plate provide a conical wall to which the swaged metal conforms. The conical portions of the formed rivet are equal due to the use: of an even number of members in accordance with the invention.

I claim:

1. A fabrication for building construction consisting of a plurality of plates laid flatwise against each other, and a plurality of fasteners extending transversely through said plates to secure the latterto each other and thus form a structural integrality, each of said fasteners consisting of a piece of malleable metal swaged to provide portions in continuation vof each other and which ilare outwardly from an intermediate point of the fastener, the diameter at the outer surface4 of the flare being not more than ten percent or f less than five percent in increased diameter than the diameter at said intermediate point, said plates having machine finished holes therein to conform to the fastener.

2. 4A fabrication as setforth in claim l, wherein said fastener portions may be of equal or unequal length. 4 l

3. A fabrication `as set forth in claim 1, wherein said intermediate point occursv coincidental with theplane of the contacting surfaces of certain of said plates.

4. A rolled steel flanged column, and reinforcing means riveted to the flanges of said column, said means consistingofplates, and rivets engaging said plates and flanges, each of said rivets being of gradually increased diameter in opposite directions from an intermediate point with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rivet, said diameter at the outer surface being inthe range of plus ve to ten percent greater than the diameter at said intermediate point, and said nanges and plates having machineinished holes therein to conform to the shape of thelrivetsv as aforesaid.

5. A structural integralitycomprising a plurality of structural members and rivets securing said members to* eachother, said members having drilled and reamedl holes therein gradually increasing in diameter in opposite directions from an intermediate contacting plane of certain membeis for each rivet, and each lrivet coni-orming to the walls of said holes, said diameter at the outer surface being in the range of plusve to ten percent greater than the diameter at said intermediate point. i

l JOHN A. LARKIN. 

